Cook’s notes
For non-Filipinos, salted duck egg, or itlog na maalat, as we call it is duck egg soaked in brine for a couple of weeks until the salt seeps through the shell and transforms the flavor and texture of the egg. The egg is boiled and, instead of slightly chewy egg white and powdery egg yolk, you get creamy egg white and slightly oily egg yolk.
The Chinese have been making them since the sixth century, and use of the delicacy has spread throughout Asia. Today, imaginative cooks have discovered non-traditional ways of integrating them into savory and sweet dishes. I’m joining in the fray.
The chorizo used in this recipe is the dried Spanish variety flavored with lots of paprika. Chorizo de Bilbao is probably the most well-known but there are other equally tasty chorizos like Iberico. If sausage isn’t your thing, try bacon or salty ham.
Spaghetti with salted duck egg sauce
Ingredients
- spaghetti for three people
- 2 salted duck eggs
- ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes in herbed oil
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 small handful sweet basil or one tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ⅓ to ½ cup chopped chorizo
- salt to taste
- sliced scallions to garnish
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti in salted water (see "How to cook al dente pasta minus the myths and hype").
- While the noodles cook, shell and lightly chop the salted duck eggs.
- Drop into the blender or food processor with the extra virgin oil, sun-dried tomatoes and pepper.
- Process until smooth.
- Add the basil. Pulse a few more times.
- Heat the butter in a frying pan.
- Add the chopped chorizo and cook over medium-low heat for a minute or two.
- Add the cooked pasta to the chorizo. Toss well.
- Pour the salted duck egg sauce over the pasta. Toss well.
- Taste and add more salt, if needed.
- Ladle the salted duck egg and chorizo spaghetti into bowls, garnish with snipped scallions and serve at once.
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